Analysis of the rural development experience in the former Transkei : the case of Xalanga District.

Abstract:

The period after World War II has witnessed an upsurge in the interest in the
plight of the people entrapped in desperate poverty and deprivation in the
Third World countries. However, even with the focus on underdeveloped
countries, the number of rural poor in the Third World continues to increase
and their living conditions degrade. The crux of the problem is that the rural
poor cannot contribute significantly to their own development owing to the
nherent inequalities in the distribution of production factors and the benefits
economic development and technological advancements under the
umbrella of capitalism. In response t.o this, rural development is a deliberate
intervention programme designed to augment the coping strategies of the rural
poor by drawing them gradually into the mainstream of development action in
an attempt to alleviate rural poverty and misery, and empower them to realise
their potential and human dignity.
This thesis is a critical evaluation of the rural development process and its
impact on the living conditions of the rural poor in the former Transkei with
special reference to Xalanga District. Transkei and Xalanga District have
been chosen for the study because the former is the poorest and most populous
ex-homeland and the latter is the poorest district in the former Transkei. The roles of rural development functionaries, in terms of their policies,
programmes, practices and achievements, and the living conditions, needs,
aspirations and perceptions of the beneficiaries came under the spotlight.
Rural development is a multi-faceted concept therefore the approach of the
study was eclectic, rooted in the realist and structurationist philosophies; and
the data solicited was analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The
quantitative techniques employed were factor and discriminant analyses The study revealed that the rural development process in the sub-region is
fraught with administrative, political and social, fmancial and technical
constraints. Consequently, the process has not had any significant impact on the living conditions of the rural poor with regard to the alleviation of rural
poverty, unemployment and inequalities in the distribution of incomes and
assets. Besides, it has not created sound economic bases in the rural areas and
has thus failed to empower the rural people to take effective charge of their
lives. The development efforts continue to be concentrated in the urban and
peri-urban areas, causing considerable imbalances in the spatial development
of the territory. On the basis of the outcome of the research, some suggestions
have been offered for a meaningful rural development programme for the
former Transkei.